Mesmerizing Mesh
2021-

 

Petal-Powered Firmament Soul Sheet – Mesmerizing Mesh #151
2022

Hanji, washi on alu-dibond, framed

62 x 62 cm

Courtesy of the artist

Photo: Studio Haegue Yang

 

Work list of video clip Mesmerizing Mesh, 2021-2022, in order of appearance:

Swaying Sea Forest Soul Streamers – Mesmerizing Mesh #132

Fluttering Dancer Soul Sheet – Mesmerizing Mesh #133

Fencing Warrior Soul Sheet – Mesmerizing Mesh #134

Swaying Flaring Blooming Formation – Mesmerizing Mesh #135

Floating Crab Sumie – Mesmerizing Mesh #136

Expanding Twilight Breeze Queen – Mesmerizing Mesh #137

Fountain-Powered Flower Soul Sheet – Mesmerizing Mesh #138

Shoulder-Lifting Fowl Soul Streamers – Mesmerizing Mesh #139

Splashing Volcano Ash Gaze – Mesmerizing Mesh #140

Royal Buds and Seed Bag on Moon Landing – Mesmerizing Mesh #141

 

 

Work list of video clip Mesmerizing Mesh, 2021-2022, in order of appearance:

Resilience-Powered Balancing Soul Streamers – Mesmerizing Mesh #120

Rigor-Powered Balancing Soul Streamers – Mesmerizing Mesh #119

Wave-Powered Webfooted Soul Sheet – Mesmerizing Mesh #116

Jointed Ox Air Sacs Soul Streamers – Mesmerizing Mesh #97

Wave-Powered Gilled Soul Streamers – Mesmerizing Mesh #115

Meditation-Powered Pagoda Tree Soul Sheet – Mesmerizing Mesh #131

Thunder-Powered Ash Entrails Soul Streamers – Mesmerizing Mesh #148

Thundering Spider Beanpole Soul Sheet – Mesmerizing Mesh #142

Flocking Swallow Beanpole Soul Sheet – Mesmerizing Mesh #143

Flower-Powered Bird Vine Soul Streamers – Mesmerizing Mesh #144

 

Kaleidoscopic Wing Bloom Formation – Mesmerizing Mesh #99
2021

Hanji on alu-dibond, framed

62 x 62 cm

Courtesy of Galerie Chantal Crousel, Paris

Photo: Studio Haegue Yang

 

Soul-Keepers March – Mesmerizing Mesh #95
2022

Hanji on alu-dibond, framed

62 x 62 cm

Courtesy of the artist

Photo: Studio Haegue Yang

 

Yellow-Sea-Powered Soul Sheet Atop Another– Mesmerizing Mesh #89
2021

Hanji on alu-dibond, framed

62 x 62 cm

Courtesy of Galerie Barbara Wien, Berlin

Photo: Studio Haegue Yang

 

Polar-Powered Fowl Soul Sheets – Mesmerizing Mesh #83
2021

Hanji on alu-dibond, framed

62 x 62 cm

Courtesy of Galerie Barbara Wien, Berlin

Photo: Studio Haegue Yang

 

Energy-Powered Soul Stick – Mesmerizing Mesh #74
2021

Hanji on alu-dibond, framed

92 x 62 cm

Courtesy of Galerie Barbara Wien, Berlin

Photo: Studio Haegue Yang

 

Sea Raven Radial Folds – Mesmerizing Mesh #64
2021

Hanji, graph paper on alu-dibond, framed

62 x 62 cm

Courtesy of the artist

Photo: Studio Haegue Yang

 

Limber-Powered Beanpole Soul Sheets – Mesmerizing Mesh #55
2021

Hanji on alu-dibond, framed

62 x 92 cm

Courtesy of the artist

Photo: Studio Haegue Yang

 

Thunderbolt-Powered Reflection Soul Sheet – Mesmerizing Mesh #53
2021

Hanji on alu-dibond, framed

92 x 62 cm

Courtesy of the artist

Photo: Studio Haegue Yang

 

Six Knot-Powered Brotherly Ties – Mesmerizing Mesh #42
2021

Hanji, reed sticks on alu-dibond, framed

62 x 62 cm

Courtesy of the artist

Photo: Studio Haegue Yang

 

Breaking-Wave-Powered Fan Dance Soul Sheet – Mesmerizing Mesh #41
2021

Hanji, graph paper on alu-dibond, framed

92 x 62 cm

Courtesy of the artist

Photo: Studio Haegue Yang

 

 

Installation view of Mesmerizing Mesh at Kukje Gallery K1, Seoul, Korea, 2021

Photo by Chunho An
Image provided by Kukje Gallery

 

 

Butterfly Windblast Arrow Formation – Mesmerizing Mesh #38
2021

Hanji, graph paper on alu-dibond, framed

62 x 62 cm

Courtesy of the artist

Photo: Studio Haegue Yang

 

Spring Floral Breeze Formation – Mesmerizing Mesh #35
2021

Hanji, graph paper on alu-dibond, framed

62 x 62 cm

Courtesy of Galerie Changtal Crousel

Photo: Studio Haegue Yang

 

Molting-Powered Soul Sheet – Mesmerizing Mesh #33
2021

Hanji on alu-dibond, framed

62 x 62 cm

Courtesy of the artist

Photo: Studio Haegue Yang

 

Spiritual-Powered Soul Stick – Mesmerizing Mesh #28
2021

Hanji on alu-dibond, framed

62 x 42 cm

Collection of Wonkee Lee, Daegu

Photo: Studio Haegue Yang

 

Blooming-Powered Soul Sheet – Mesmerizing Mesh #27
2021

Hanji on alu-dibond, framed

62 x 42 cm

Private collection, Seoul

Photo: Studio Haegue Yang

 

Guts-Powered Beanpole Soul Sheets – Mesmerizing Mesh #25
2021

Hanji on alu-dibond, framed

62 x 62 cm

Courtesy of the artist

Photo: Studio Haegue Yang

 

Four-Limb-Powered Soul Sheet – Mesmerizing Mesh #24
2021

Hanji on alu-dibond, framed

62 x 62 cm

Collection of Hyun Yong Soo, Seoul

Photo: Studio Haegue Yang

 

Rose Moss Expansion Formation – Mesmerizing Mesh #21
2021

Hanji, graph paper on alu-dibond, framed

62 x 62 cm

Collection of Hyun Yong Soo, Seoul

Photo: Studio Haegue Yang

 

Incubation-Powered Soul Sheet Atop Another – Mesmerizing Mesh #18
2021

Hanji on alu-dibond, framed

62 x 62 cm

Courtesy of the Kukje Gallery

Photo: Studio Haegue Yang

 

 

Installation view of Mesmerizing Mesh at Kukje Gallery K1, Seoul, Korea, 2021

Photo by Chunho An
Image provided by Kukje Gallery

 

 

Eye-Holes in Windy Formation – Mesmerizing Mesh #9
2021

Hanji on alu-dibond, framed

62 x 62 cm

Private collection, Daegu

Photo: Studio Haegue Yang

 

Wave-Powered Soul Sheet– Mesmerizing Mesh #5
2021

Hanji on alu-dibond, framed

62 x 62 cm

Courtesy of Kukje Gallery

Photo: Studio Haegue Yang

 

Shamanic Conical Headgear – Mesmerizing Mesh #1
2021

Hanji, graph paper on alu-dibond, framed

122 x 82 cm, framed

Courtesy of the artist

Photo: Studio Haegue Yang

 

Installation view of Mesmerizing Mesh – Paper Leap and Sonic Guard, Galerie Barbara Wien, Berlin, 2022

Video: Cheongjin Keem

 

Haegue Yang’s ongoing series Mesmerizing Mesh (since 2021) explores the artist’s longstanding interest in the relationship between spirit and matter as well as diverse mystical practices ranging from European paganism to Asian shamanism. In recent years, this interest has turned toward various paper cutting traditions and the sacred dimension of hanji , traditional Korean paper derived from the inner bark of the mulberry tree. Mesmerizing Mesh is loosely inspired by ritual paper props made of hanji used in purifying, healing, exorcizing, and cleansing rites. Typically folded before cutting, the props display strongly symmetrical motifs. For Yang, these paper objects speak to the human impulse to craft objects for intercessory purposes, using matter to access the spirit.

Mesmerizing Mesh reflects on how shamans and artists take “mystic leaps” out of earthly materiality. The mystic leaps appear to reach language, aesthetics, communication, value, and all that lies outside the material realm. Just as shamanistic paper props bridge the dimensions of the living world and beyond, Yang activates hanji by layering, folding, carving, and attaching, creating geometric and figurative compositions to take the leap from material to the dematerialized.

 

Publications

Haegue Yang: Mesmerizing Mesh – Paper Leap, 2022

Ed. by Barbara Wien
Design by Benedikt Reichenbach
Published by Wiens Verlag, Berlin
English
Two separately bound parts in a cover, 72 pages
21 x 14.8 cm, Softcover
ISBN 978-3-943888-16-4

 

Haegue Yang: Mesmerizing Mesh, 2021

Ed. by Haegue Yang
Design by Yeong-Jun Kim, Yena Yoo, Heejung Ye
Published by Kukje Gallery
English and Korean
48 pages
14.8 x 21 x 0.3 cm, Softcover
ISBN 979-11-89873-14-1
Buy

 

Exhibition history

Quasi-Colloquial, Pinacoteca São Paulo, Brazil, 2023

Mesmerizing Mesh – Paper Leap and Resonating Habitat, Galerie Chantal Crousel, Paris, France, 2022

Okayama Art Summit 2022: Do We Dream Under the Same Sky,Tenjinyama Cultural Plaza, Orient Museum, Okayama Shrine, Ishiya, Japan, 2022

Mesmerizing Mesh – Paper Leap and Sonic Guard, Galerie Barbara Wien, Berlin, Germany, 2022

 

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